The dB's

Last updated
The dB's
The dB's in 2012-Philadelphia.jpg
The dB's performing in New York on December 6, 2007
Background information
OriginNew York City
Genres
Years active1978–1988, 2005–present
LabelsAlbion
Bearsville
I.R.S.
Rhino
Monkey Hill
Bar/None
Propeller Sound Recordings
Members Peter Holsapple
Chris Stamey
Will Rigby
Gene Holder
Past membersRick Wagner
Jeff Beninato
Harold Kelt
Eric Peterson
Website thedbs.com

The dB's are an American alternative rock and power pop group, who formed in New York City in 1978 and first came to prominence in the early 1980s. [5] [1] Their debut album Stands for Decibels is acclaimed as one of the great "lost" power pop albums of the 1980s.

Contents

The band members are Peter Holsapple, Chris Stamey, Will Rigby, and Gene Holder. Although the members are all from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the group was formed in New York City in 1978. In 2012, the band completed its first new studio album in 25 years and its first in 30 years with the original lineup. [6]

History

During 1977, Stamey played bass with Alex Chilton in New York, [7] and recorded "(I Thought) You Wanted to Know" with Television guitarist Richard Lloyd. A single of the latter song, backed with "If and When" (on which Rigby and Holder played), was issued in 1978, credited to Chris Stamey and the dB's. [8]

Holsapple joined the group in October 1978, [9] after moving to New York City from North Carolina. Their single "Black and White" was issued by Shake Records in 1980.

British label Albion Records released their first album Stands for Decibels in January 1981 to critical acclaim but negligible sales. [10]

According to Trouser Press , the group drew from 1960s pop and psychedelia as well as 1970s pop groups like Big Star, but the songs by composers Stamey and Holsapple were too distinctive to merely copy their sources of inspiration. [11] While Holsapple was skilled in the composing of fairly conventional tunes such as "Big Brown Eyes" and "Bad Reputation," Stamey's songs, such as "Espionage" and "Tearjerkin'," tended to be somewhat more experimental and quirky. [8] [11]

They released a second album on Albion in 1982, [12] Repercussion , and also released singles such as "Judy." These two albums were later reissued on one compact disc. [8]

Stamey left the group after the second album, and pursued a career as a solo artist and producer. [9] The group then recorded the album Like This, released in 1984. [9] The band signed an American record deal with Bearsville Records, but distribution problems caused the album to be delayed, and Bearsville folded the same year. Rick Wagner joined the band on bass, and Holder moved to lead guitar. [13]

The Sound of Music, their last album before their breakup, was released on I.R.S. Records in 1987 with New Orleans bass player Jeff Beninato, [9] founder of the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund. [14] The album reached the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 171. [15] Beninato participated in the subsequent tour. Holder left the band to join the Individuals, and Eric Peterson was recruited on lead guitar after replacing temporary guitarist/keyboardist Harold Kelt. "[The Sound of Music] has been out of print since 1988," said Peter Holsapple in 2022. "I.R.S. then rejected all the demos for a second album on the label, and I ended the band after a show in Florida." [16] In 2017, Holsapple said: "Somehow we've gone from great white hope to also-ran to godfathers of power pop, all without selling a whole lot of records. There were some cities where we felt like we were kind of a big deal. In Chicago we got a lot of radio play on WXRT and we could sell out the clubs there, but take us to Bloomington, Indiana, and nobody knew who we were." [17]

Several albums were released after the dB's broke up. Line Records compiled Stands for Decibels and Repercussion with the addition of two bonus tracks, first in 1992 as dB's First/ Repercussion, then in 1999 as Neverland. [18] Ride the Wild Tom-Tom, released in 1993 by Rhino Records, collected demos, early recordings, and singles. Paris Avenue, issued in 1994 by Monkey Hill Records, was a posthumous album by the final line-up, based on demo tapes from the band's waning days.

Other projects

Following the dB's breakup, Holsapple worked as a sideman, serving as a full-time auxiliary guitarist and keyboardist for R.E.M. for four years, [9] beginning with the Green world tour and continuing through the 1991 Out of Time album. [19] [20] After finishing working with R.E.M., he toured with Hootie and the Blowfish [21] and then joined the Continental Drifters. He released one solo album, 1997's Out of My Way .

Stamey has released six solo records and has worked as a record producer. In 1985, the Christmas Time holiday-themed mini-album was issued by Coyote Records, credited to "Chris Stamey Group with Special Guests the dB's". It was expanded to a 17-song CD in 1993, retitled Christmas Time Again and featuring contributions from Mitch Easter, Ryan Adams, Marshall Crenshaw, Don Dixon, and others, and then again as a 21-song CD in November 2006. [22]

Rigby played drums for Steve Earle and others, and Holder continued to record and produce.

In 1991, Stamey and Holsapple reunited (not under the dB's moniker) as a duo to record an album titled Mavericks .

Reunion

The classic lineup of the dB's reunited in 2005 and performed two shows in Chicago and two in Hoboken, New Jersey. [23] [24]

Also in 2005, the band recorded a cover version of the 1966 song "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" to benefit the New Orleans Musicians' Relief Fund. [25]

Bowery Ballroom in NYC hosted the dB's in January 2007, [26] and in February 2007, the band performed at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina. [27]

In March 2012, Holsapple, Stamey, Rigby, and Mitch Easter (substituting for Holder) played at South by Southwest. [6]

Falling Off the Sky was released in June 2012 by Bar/None Records. [28]

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

Compilation albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hootie & the Blowfish</span> American alternative rock band

Hootie & the Blowfish is an American rock band formed in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1986. The band's lineup for most of its existence has been the quartet of Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld. The band went on hiatus in 2008 until they announced plans for a full reunion tour in 2019 and released their first new studio album in fourteen years, Imperfect Circle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitch Easter</span> Musical artist

Mitchell Blake Easter is a musician, songwriter, and record producer. Frequently associated with the jangle pop style of guitar music, he is known as producer of R.E.M.'s early albums from 1981 through 1984, and as frontman of the 1980s band Let's Active.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Holsapple</span> American musician

Peter Livingston Holsapple is an American musician who formed, along with Chris Stamey, the dB's, a jangle-pop band from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He became the band's principal songwriter and singer after Stamey's departure. The band, with Stamey back in the fold, reformed with new material in 2005–2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Litt</span> American record producer

Scott Warren Litt is an American record producer who mostly works with artists in the alternative rock genre and is best known for producing six R.E.M. albums in the late 1980s and early to mid-1990s during the band's most successful period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continental Drifters</span> American rock band

The Continental Drifters were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1991 and dissolved in New Orleans, Louisiana, about a decade later. Though the line-up changed several times, at one point the band comprised a kind of college rock/indie-rock/power pop supergroup, including as it did Peter Holsapple of The dB's, Mark Walton of The Dream Syndicate, Bangle Vicki Peterson and Susan Cowsill of The Cowsills.

Christopher Charles Stamey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. After a brief time playing with Alex Chilton, as well as Mitch Easter under the name Sneakers, Stamey formed The dB's with Peter Holsapple.

<i>Bandstand</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Family

Bandstand is the sixth studio album by the British progressive rock band Family. Released in 1972, it was their second and last album to chart in the United States. The original album cover was die-cut in the shape of a Bush TV22 television set, with a black-and-white image of the band onscreen.

<i>Stands for Decibels</i> 1981 studio album by The dBs

Stands for Decibels is the debut studio album by American power pop band the dB's, released January 15, 1981 by Albion Records. The album was commercially unsuccessful but critically acclaimed.

<i>Repercussion</i> (album) 1981 studio album by The dBs

Repercussion is the second studio album by American power pop band the dB's, released in 1981 by Albion Records. Like its predecessor, Stands for Decibels, the album was commercially unsuccessful but critically acclaimed.

Roman Candle is an indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, composed of Skip Matheny, Logan Matheny and Timshel Matheny. They have released three studio albums, several touring EP's, toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe, and played in various other bands / live acts. Roman Candle was founded in 1997 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The band, who all attended UNC-Chapel Hill, recorded and performed there for 10 years before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2008.

<i>Like This</i> (album) 1984 studio album by The dBs

Like This is the third studio album by the American power pop band the dB's, released in 1984 via Bearsville Records. The band recorded as a trio following the departure of Chris Stamey. The album includes a re-mixed version of "Amplifier", the lead single from their previous album, Repercussion.

<i>The Sound of Music</i> (The dBs album) 1987 studio album by The dBs

The Sound of Music is an album by American power pop group The dB's, released in 1987 on I.R.S. Records.

The Music Building is a music rehearsal facility at 584 Eighth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States. It is the largest music rehearsal facility in Manhattan with 69 studios on 12 floors that are leased to musicians. It is located near Times Square and allows 24/7 access for musicians. Notable musicians such as Madonna, Interpol, Billy Idol, and Joey Ramone have been tenants at The Music Building. Numerous recordings have taken place at the Music Building by some of the notable tenants.

Mofungo was a New York City-based band that was active from 1979 to 1993. It featured guitarist Elliott Sharp and food writer Robert Sietsema. Members Chris Nelson and Jeff McGovern were also founding members of The Scene Is Now.

<i>Green</i> (R.E.M. album) 1988 studio album by R.E.M.

Green is the sixth studio album by American rock band R.E.M., released on November 7, 1988, by Warner Bros. Records. The second album to be produced by the band and Scott Litt, it continued to explore political issues both in its lyrics and packaging. The band experimented on the album, writing major-key rock songs and incorporating new instruments into their sound including the mandolin, as well as switching their original instruments on other songs.

Will Rigby is an American musician known for being the drummer of jangle pop band the dB's, a band he formed along with Peter Holsapple, Chris Stamey, and Gene Holder in the late 1970s. He has also performed with many other artists and has released two solo albums.

<i>Mavericks</i> (Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey album) 1991 studio album by Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey

Mavericks is a collaborative album by the two original singer/songwriters of jangle pop band the dB's, Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey. It was originally released in 1991 on Rhino Records and was re-released on January 15, 2008 by Collectors' Choice Music. The reissue featured six previously unreleased tracks. The album is noted for having a more acoustic and slower sound than Holsapple and Stamey's work with the dB's.

SALT, also known as The Salt Collective, is a French-American band that was formed in 2016 by songwriter Stéphane Schück (guitar), producer Ken Stringfellow (guitar), and Anton Barbeau. Joined by bassist Fred Quentin and drummer Benoit Lautridou, their first album was released in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Friend the Sun</span> 1972 single by Family

"My Friend the Sun" is a song by the British rock band Family. It was written by Roger Chapman and Charlie Whitney for the band's 1972 album Bandstand. The single did not make the UK Singles Chart.

<i>The Bible of Bop</i> 1982 EP by Kimberley Rew

The Bible of Bop is a mini-album and the first solo release by English guitarist and songwriter Kimberley Rew, released in 1982. It mostly consists of tracks taken from three singles Rew released through indie label Armageddon between 1980 and 1982: two under his own name, backed by members of the dB's and the Soft Boys; and one as part of the Waves. In 2010, the album was reissued on CD for the first time on the CGB label with three bonus tracks.

References

  1. 1 2 Mark, Deming. "The dB's | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  2. ↑ Runtagh, Jordan (8 April 2014). "Catchy, Loud and Proud: 20 Essential Power Pop Tracks That Will Be Stuck In Your Head Forever". VH1. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2020. For many, they are the definitive power pop band.
  3. ↑ Staunton, Terry. "The Db's - Falling off the Sky". Record Collector. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  4. ↑ Smotroff, Mark (1 July 2019). "Chris Stamey's Star-Studded 20th Century Songs Ring True for 21st Century Times on CD, Tidal". Audiophile Review. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  5. ↑ Cateforis, Theo (2011). Are We Not New Wave? : Modern Pop at the Turn of the 1980s. University of Michigan Press. p. 144. ISBN   978-0-472-03470-3.
  6. 1 2 "The dB's". SxSW. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  7. ↑ Cornell, Rick (8 December 2010). "Chris Stamey revisits Big Star's Third with a few dozen friends". Indy Week. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 Cost, Jud (1 June 2009). "Q&A with Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey". Magnet. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 650. ISBN   0-85112-939-0.
  10. ↑ Dahlen, Chris (21 January 2002). "The dB's: Stands for Decibels/Repercussion". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  11. 1 2 "TrouserPress.com :: dB's". Trouserpress.com. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  12. 1 2 Woodstra, Chris. "Repercussion - The dB's | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
  13. ↑ Gordon, Keith (17 April 2016). "CD Review: The dB's Like This (1984/2006)". That Devil Music. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  14. ↑ "New Orleans Musician's Relief Fund - a grass roots certified 501(c)(3) not for profit organization dedicated to aiding New Orleans musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina". Nomrf.org. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  15. ↑ "The dB's The Sound Of Music Chart History". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  16. ↑ Breznikar, Klemen (2022-11-01). "Peter Holsapple | The dB's | Interview". It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  17. ↑ Bledsoe, Wayne. "Former dB's member Peter Holsapple still creating vibrations that last". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  18. ↑ "The dB's - dB's First/ Repercussion". Discogs.com. 1992. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  19. ↑ "It's My Life: Peter Holsapple on the Life and Death of the Continental Drifters". Popmatters.com. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  20. ↑ "Peter Holsapple on the dB's, Mitch Easter and R.E.M.: Gimme Five". Somethingelsereviews.com. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  21. ↑ Holsapple, Peter (May 2015). "No FLOTUS for Hootie: Peter Holsapple on playing one of David Letterman's final shows with Hootie & the Blowfish". Indyweek.com. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  22. ↑ uncredited (27 October 2006). "It's Christmas Time Again with The dB's and Friends". Chart Attack. Archived from the original on March 21, 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  23. ↑ Kot, Greg (9 September 2005). "Reunited dB's pick up where they left off". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  24. ↑ Henn, George (24 October 2005). "A Hoboken Homecoming". Medleyville. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  25. ↑ Boudreau, Mark (28 September 2005). "The Db's Offer MP3 Track To Benefit New Orleans Musicians Relief Fundings". The Rock and Roll Report. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  26. ↑ "Live Review: The dB's/ Mitch Easter / Sneakers - Bowery Ballroom (New York, NY)". No Depression. 28 February 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  27. ↑ Parker, Chris (31 January 2007). "Chapel Hill's the dB's play Carrboro". Indy Week. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  28. ↑ "The dB's to Release Reunion Album, 'Falling Off the Sky' (First in 25 Years) & Plan 2012 Tour, SXSW Stop". Radio.com. March 3, 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.